A superb, rare original document awarding the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to Major Fritz Herrmann, 4pp.parchment, 13 1/2" x 16 3/4", boldly signed by Hitler at bottom. The text of the document reads: "In the name of the German People I give Major Fritz Herrmann the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Fuhrer Headquarters 26. December 1941 The Fuhrer and Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht [Signed] Adolf Hitler". The document is intricately hand-lettered in dark brown India ink, and Herrmann's name is rendered in raised gold leaf. A few trivial light stains, else very good. FRITZ HERRMANN fought with the Wehrmacht's 36th Infantry Division in the invasion of France and in Operation Barbarossa. In Russia, the division fought with great distinction as part of XXXXI Panzer Corps. In late October the division helped establish a bridgehead near Kalinin, which it did while under heavy Soviet fire. In November it relieved Kampfgruppe Manteuffel at the Kalinin-Klin-Moscow railway lines near the Volga reservoir. In December 1941, the division had reached just west of Klin when it came under fire from the Soviet's 365th Rifle Division. The Soviet division was forced to retreat after German forces began flanking them from the east. It was during these actions that Major Herrmann undoubtedly distinguished himself. Accompanied by the equally rare presentation folder, 14 1/8" x 17 5/8", the boards covered in burgundy grained red leather and the front cover bearing a left-facing eagle clutching a wreath encircling a swastika. Within, the folders are lined in parchment with the outer edges bearing the same red leather bearing double lines of gilt trim. The maker's name, "FRIEDA THIERSCH", appears in small embossed gilt letters at the bottom of the inside of the rear cover. The front cover bears stains and some surface cuts, corners are bumped, and the front cover may have had its color somewhat restored at some point in time. The hinge bears a small tear at top, and the inside back cover has a waterstain at upper-right. These documents, especially when actually signed by Hitler, are much rarer than one would expect. Since all Knight's Cross documents were hand-made by only one German firm, Frieda Thiersch, a backlog of orders for award documents soon developed. Also, it should be noted that these meticulously hand-crafted documents were all made using India ink calligraphy, obviously very labor intensive, even when done by the skilled and experienced calligraphers employed by Thiersch. Some recipients waited months, or even years, before receiving their award documents. Many recipients actually never received their large award documents, or "Gross-Urkunden"; only a very small fraction of the more than 7,000 Knight's Crosses awarded, from 1939, were accompanied by these formal documents.